Can't do my own installation?

[bmorgan]

I was told on the 800 number that I can't do my own installation and I've seen here that many have. My nearest Dish installer is exceedingly rude and inept and I was also told that I can't specify who shows up. Is this something DIRT can help with?

Didn't see any active members online. How do I message them?

 

[Scherrman]

If you buy your equipment you can do it yourself. The people on here that do their own installs generally own their equipment. If you talk to Dish directly they will not let you do your own install. It may be possible that a local retailer would let you but they would be smart not to. We do not let our customers install their own equipment.

 

[boba]

I was told on the 800 number that I can't do my own installation and I've seen here that many have. My nearest Dish installer is exceedingly rude and inept and I was also told that I can't specify who shows up. Is this something DIRT can help with?

Didn't see any active members online. How do I message them?

You need 5 posts to be able to PM. If you can find a local DISH Retailer that does their own installs go to them and make your appointment. If you want to go to DISH you will have to go with whatever installer is available.

 

[harshness]

Professional installations have been the order of the day for six or more years. Since DISH and DIRECTV went to a business model where receivers are typically leased, they've been pretty adamant about making sure that the installs are done by people trained in installing DBS dishes. If you asked them, they would tell you that it has cut down significantly on support issues related to poorly installed hardware as well as equipment and property damage resulting from same.

 

[bmorgan]

post #4

 

[bmorgan]

post #5

 

[bmorgan]

Professional installations have been the order of the day for six or more years. Since DISH and DIRECTV went to a business model where receivers are typically leased, they've been pretty adamant about making sure that the installs are done by people trained in installing DBS dishes. If you asked them, they would tell you that it has cut down significantly on support issues related to poorly installed hardware as well as equipment and property damage resulting from same.

I'm sure that true in most cases, but this is an upgrade (no dish work needed) and I have 40 years of experience in electronics, networking, wiring, etc. If I couldn't manage to plug the new receivers in and get them working, I could make a call and Dish would be none the worse.

 

[garys]

I had an experience with an installer who couldn't do a job when Dish wanted to upgrade me to the EA mpeg4 only account. My upgrade would need a 16 ft pole installed with the EA dish going on the top of it. He came and didn't do the work. After he left, I had to wait a couple of hours for the work order to be closed. Once that happened, I contacted Dish and immediately requested a Supervisor, once I explained to the csr, I was transferred without question. I made my case as clear as I could and was given a work order number along with names and phone numbers of reliable independent installers. I then had to talk to two different installers, both of which had problems with what needed to be done. I then contacted Dish again, explained what I was told by the installer who showed up and the two independent's that I spoke with before I was given permission to do the upgrade work myself. The entire process took about 3 1/2 weeks (a lot of the time was getting the pole in place and secured). Once that was done, Dish sent out their installer again, once he was satisfied, the rest on the upgrade was completed with no further hassles. It can be done, but be prepared to put a lot of time into it.

 

[Scherrman]

I'm sure that true in most cases, but this is an upgrade (no dish work needed) and I have 40 years of experience in electronics, networking, wiring, etc. If I couldn't manage to plug the new receivers in and get them working, I could make a call and Dish would be none the worse.

I have no doubt in your ability to install a Dish but Dish has no idea if you can or not and they are the ones responsible for the quality of your install. We will not let customers do it because we are held responsible regardless. If I let a customer do their install and something wasn't working, chances are that customer calls Dish and then I get issued a work order. As a retailer I do not enjoy doing service calls for other people's work unless we get paid for it.

 

[TheKrell]

I'm sure that true in most cases, but this is an upgrade (no dish work needed) and I have 40 years of experience in electronics, networking, wiring, etc. If I couldn't manage to plug the new receivers in and get them working, I could make a call and Dish would be none the worse.

Are you sure there is no disk work needed? Going from SD to HD, or solo receivers to duos?

A few years ago, I managed to talk Executive Resolutions into shipping me two leased 612 receivers after explaining that I have a custom switch arrangement (that I built myself). $25/ea Perhaps you can do the same.

 

[Yespage]

I have no doubt in your ability to install a Dish but Dish has no idea if you can or not and they are the ones responsible for the quality of your install. We will not let customers do it because we are held responsible regardless. If I let a customer do their install and something wasn't working, chances are that customer calls Dish and then I get issued a work order. As a retailer I do not enjoy doing service calls for other people's work unless we get paid for it.

It sounds like the OP is talking about getting a new receiver, not installing a dish. Pretty simple for many to plug the right cables into a receiver. Oddly enough, when I had the service man come to install a new dish and a 722k receiver, he was about to plug in the RCA cables into the wrong spots on the receiver (meant for 2 not 1).

Regardless, your point stands... Dish probably saves time and money just sending someone out there to do it, regardless how simple because some people can't handle such things, regardless if they say they can.

 

[Scherrman]

Just swapping out a receiver is simple enough but I still don't want to put me getting paid in the hands of a do-it-yourselfer. In order for a retailer to get paid the work order must be called in and noted as a retailer upgrade. If going to HD for the first time we must also make sure that a 1000.2 antenna was put up and HD programming is added in order to get paid for the antenna. Just little things like that which we prefer not to have the customer be responsible for.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I installed all my own installs going back to 2003. I recently upgraded myself to the hopper and two joeys. I just called and told them I installed it and turn the receivers on. Took me less than an hour to do everything from the node to the call and to get the receivers authorized. When they start telling me I can't do my own installs, I will drop DISH for good.

 

[navychop]

If you're moving from older receivers to Hopper/Joey, it's not just a simple receiver swap out. The wiring is different and there are other components (single/duo node, maybe taps, HIC, etc) to be installed. And it must be done precisely in the right order and the next step not commenced until the previous step has completed.

 

[TNGTony]

I'm sure that true in most cases, but this is an upgrade (no dish work needed) and I have 40 years of experience in electronics, networking, wiring, etc. If I couldn't manage to plug the new receivers in and get them working, I could make a call and Dish would be none the worse.

The closest I ever came to canceling Dish Service in the last 15 years was over a similar issue. I wanted to upgrade from a 721 receiver to a 622. Dish would not send me the receiver unless it was installed by a "trained technician". Never mind that all that was required was unscrewing two RF connectors from the 721 and screwing them in to the 622. This issue was elevated to a Dish VP and his response was "we don't have a process to just send out the receiver" At the time I was livid. What? No process to put a UPS label on the box and send it to a paying customer? I just did not want a "trained technician" in my house.

As mentioned above, the only way I was able to avoid the "trained technician" was to buy my own receiver from a dealer (DishStore) and have them send the receiver to me.

In all honesty though, I can see why the company would rather lose a customer than take the risk of having that customer botch the installation, blame the equipment and then leave the service anyway.

 

[Hall]

Dish's systems seem to know what equipment a customer has, or had installed at some point. If it's been changed by the end-user, granted, they won't know those details. It sounds as though whatever new receiver(s) the OP wants requires additional changes beyond simply swapping the old receiver with the new. Could require a new dish, LNB, cabling, etc, etc - who knows. If so, that's why Dish insists on a tech doing the work.

Everyone knows that for a simple receiver swap, i.e. replacing model "x" with model "x", they'll let the customer do this.

 

[bmorgan]

I'm going from a 922 (just died), 722 and 2 211s to 2 Hoppers and 2 Joeys. I also have a 44 switch that I installed unbeknownst to Dish. My dish was upgraded a few years go to the latest/greatest.

The operator didn't hesitate to deny me and i doubt she knew what was required. She also insisted that I must have 3 Joeys on the first Hopper before I could get a second Hopper. I got her to double check that and got the ok. I now believe (I called back and finally succumbed) it's just policy in all cases unless you bought the equipment.

 

[Hall]

Yes, the official stance is that if it's their equipment, i.e. leased, not purchased outright, Dish requires their technicians or their partner's technicians to install.

Is "nearest Dish installer" a reseller/retailer or are they just an installation company ?

 

[bmorgan]

Is "nearest Dish installer" a reseller/retailer or are they just an installation company ?

They are a retailer. If they get the nod, I'm going to ask them if I can do it myself when they call about the appointment. Don't want to even speak to them unless i have to. There's no love lost between us and they know my skills, so they might cave.

 

[Tampa8]

(I called back and finally succumbed) it's just policy in all cases unless you bought the equipment.

Lol many of us have been there, done that. Finally decide it's just not worth the hassle. Honestly going from VIP to Hopper in the end it's the right choice. Well, unless the tech really screws up...

(My experience with techs from Dish has been excellent both in Fl. and Ct.)